Films & Schedules
- Family Fare

3 MILLION

DIRECTOR: Jaime Roos, Yamandu Roos - URUGUAY

3 Million is a documentary for soccer lovers, but also for anyone who likes to root for the underdog. Like many countries, Uruguay’s heart stops and starts with the fate of its beloved soccer team. In this joyous documentary about the passion of soccer, the iconic Uruguayan musician Jaime Roos and his (Dutch) photographer son Yamandu follow the national team’s 2010 World Cup run to the electric semi-finals in South Africa. From Kimberley to Johannesburg to Cape Town to Pretoria, Jaime and Yamandu uncover truths about the players and the excitement of memorable games with the world’s top teams, as...

3 Million is a documentary for soccer lovers, but also for anyone who likes to root for the underdog. Like many countries, Uruguay’s heart stops and starts with the fate of its beloved soccer team. In this joyous documentary about the passion of soccer, the iconic Uruguayan musician Jaime Roos and his (Dutch) photographer son Yamandu follow the national team’s 2010 World Cup run to the electric semi-finals in South Africa. From Kimberley to Johannesburg to Cape Town to Pretoria, Jaime and Yamandu uncover truths about the players and the excitement of memorable games with the world’s top teams, as well as reveal their own relationship, which has its own suspense and surprise. A music-infused, father-son road trip in celebration of the powerful uniting force of sport. (135 mins.)

BARFI!

DIRECTOR: Anurag Basu - INDIA

In this timeless, enchanting fable, rising Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor gives a winning performance as a deaf-mute man whose life is a series of comic and tragic misadventures. Dedicated to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, the nearly wordless Barfi! follows the resourceful title character as he falls in and out of love with the beautiful Shruti, whose parents pressure her into a respectable arranged marriage. Later, he finds love again with the autistic Jhilmil—whose father plots to defraud her of a sizable trust fund—only for Shruti to unexpectedly reenter his life. In between, Barfi finds himself caught up in a...

In this timeless, enchanting fable, rising Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor gives a winning performance as a deaf-mute man whose life is a series of comic and tragic misadventures. Dedicated to Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, the nearly wordless Barfi! follows the resourceful title character as he falls in and out of love with the beautiful Shruti, whose parents pressure her into a respectable arranged marriage. Later, he finds love again with the autistic Jhilmil—whose father plots to defraud her of a sizable trust fund—only for Shruti to unexpectedly reenter his life. In between, Barfi finds himself caught up in a bank robbery, two botched kidnappings, and all other manner of slapstick mayhem. This broadly entertaining treat for film lovers of all ages is this year’s Indian submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. (151 mins.)

ENGLISH VINGLISH

DIRECTOR: Gauri Shinde - INDIA

Shashi (Sridevi) is a beautiful, dedicated Pune homemaker, devoted wife, and mother. Yet because of her poor English, she is made to feel insecure by her husband and teenage daughter and by society at large. When she is called to New York to help prepare her niece’s wedding, Shashi overcomes her fears of traveling alone but is nevertheless overwhelmed. Humiliated for not being able to order a cup of coffee properly, she secretly enrolls in an accelerated English class and quickly becomes a dedicated student. With the other multi-ethnic students acting as a support system and boosted by the admiration...

Shashi (Sridevi) is a beautiful, dedicated Pune homemaker, devoted wife, and mother. Yet because of her poor English, she is made to feel insecure by her husband and teenage daughter and by society at large. When she is called to New York to help prepare her niece’s wedding, Shashi overcomes her fears of traveling alone but is nevertheless overwhelmed. Humiliated for not being able to order a cup of coffee properly, she secretly enrolls in an accelerated English class and quickly becomes a dedicated student. With the other multi-ethnic students acting as a support system and boosted by the admiration of French classmate Laurent in particular, she rediscovers her own worth. “Breezy and charming but with much to say about the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, English Vinglish marks the return to the big screen—after a 15-year hiatus—of beloved Indian mega-star Sridevi.”—Toronto International Film Festival (133 mins.)

KAUWBOY

DIRECTOR: Boudewijn Koole - NETHERLANDS

The European Film Academy’s Best European Youth Film and the Dutch submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Kauwboy tells the story of 10-year-old Jojo who lives alone with his security guard father, a sometimes volatile man of few words. Missing his absent mother, a country singer said to be away touring, worried Jojo finds solace in an unexpected friendship with a baby jackdaw that has fallen from its nest. A tender portrait of a young boy trying to come to terms with a family that’s not what it once was and struggling to find a balance between reality...

The European Film Academy’s Best European Youth Film and the Dutch submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Kauwboy tells the story of 10-year-old Jojo who lives alone with his security guard father, a sometimes volatile man of few words. Missing his absent mother, a country singer said to be away touring, worried Jojo finds solace in an unexpected friendship with a baby jackdaw that has fallen from its nest. A tender portrait of a young boy trying to come to terms with a family that’s not what it once was and struggling to find a balance between reality and desire, this cinematic, emotionally astute film sensitively explores issues of loss and sorrow while painting a joyfully upbeat picture of acceptance and love. (81 mins.)

LA PIROGUE

DIRECTOR: Moussa Touré - SENEGAL

It is estimated that between 2005 and 2010 more than 30,000 Africans set off for Europe in small boats, with more than 5,000 dying on the journey. La Pirogue is the moving story of a group of Senegalese taking the chance in hopes of a better life. Baye Laye is the captain of a fishing pirogue—an open-top, wooden boat—who dreams of earning a better living for his family. When he is offered to lead one of the many pirogues that head from Dakar to Spain via the Canary Islands, he reluctantly accepts the job, knowing the dangers that lie ahead....

It is estimated that between 2005 and 2010 more than 30,000 Africans set off for Europe in small boats, with more than 5,000 dying on the journey. La Pirogue is the moving story of a group of Senegalese taking the chance in hopes of a better life. Baye Laye is the captain of a fishing pirogue—an open-top, wooden boat—who dreams of earning a better living for his family. When he is offered to lead one of the many pirogues that head from Dakar to Spain via the Canary Islands, he reluctantly accepts the job, knowing the dangers that lie ahead. Adroitly capturing the dilemmas and dangers facing these desperate men, La Pirogue is a powerful depiction of a story that is universally human. (87 mins.)

THE LAST SHEPHERD

DIRECTOR: Marco Bonfanti - ITALY

Renato Zucchelli lives in the beautiful mountain farmlands just outside Milan. He is the last traveling shepherd in the region, the last man tending sheep in Lombardy, an area ever consumed by urbanization. Renato has a dream: to lead his flock into the heart of Milan to meet children who have never seen someone like him, showing them that dreams and freedom will always exist as long as there is still room to believe in a last shepherd. At once funny, touching, and serious, The Last Shepherd is ultimately a warm and endearing portrait of a man, his dog, his...

Renato Zucchelli lives in the beautiful mountain farmlands just outside Milan. He is the last traveling shepherd in the region, the last man tending sheep in Lombardy, an area ever consumed by urbanization. Renato has a dream: to lead his flock into the heart of Milan to meet children who have never seen someone like him, showing them that dreams and freedom will always exist as long as there is still room to believe in a last shepherd. At once funny, touching, and serious, The Last Shepherd is ultimately a warm and endearing portrait of a man, his dog, his family, and his sheep, who conquer a city with nothing more than the power of imagination. (76 mins.)

First Feature.

Sponsored by the Italian Cultural Institute, San Francisco and the Italian Film Commission, Los Angeles.

A LETTER TO MOMO

DIRECTOR: Hiroyuki Okiura - JAPAN

From anime master Hiroyuki Okiura comes this touching, fantastical tale of a young girl’s grief and the three mischievous spirits sent to look after her. After the death of her father, 13-year-old Momo and her mother move from Tokyo to the remote island of Shio. Here, Momo is haunted by the discovery of an unfinished letter her father was writing to her—and plagued by the presence of three heaven-sent goblins whose bumbling efforts to protect her tend to cause more chaos than good. “As gorgeous as Momo is to behold, the film’s sensitive portrayal of a teenager dealing with grief...

From anime master Hiroyuki Okiura comes this touching, fantastical tale of a young girl’s grief and the three mischievous spirits sent to look after her. After the death of her father, 13-year-old Momo and her mother move from Tokyo to the remote island of Shio. Here, Momo is haunted by the discovery of an unfinished letter her father was writing to her—and plagued by the presence of three heaven-sent goblins whose bumbling efforts to protect her tend to cause more chaos than good. “As gorgeous as Momo is to behold, the film’s sensitive portrayal of a teenager dealing with grief proves its most compelling element. ... With its complex characterizations and multiple storylines, [Momo] rivals mature live-action drama.”—Variety(120 mins.)

OLD DOG

DIRECTOR: Pema Tseden - CHINA

Filled with breathtaking shots of the Himalayan countryside, Tibetan filmmaker Tseden offers an emotional allegory about urbanization and generational conflict. On a visit to a frontier town, middle-aged Gonpo decides to sell his faithful Tibetan mastiff to a Chinese trader who specializes in procuring dogs for wealthy landowners as status symbols. Gonpo’s father, Akhu, disturbed by his son’s lack of regard for their dog, purchases the animal back, initiating the simple storyline revolving around the dog’s destiny and the ensuing familial dynamics. Rich with commentary on the evolving conflict within Tibetan culture and a way of life that is quickly...

Filled with breathtaking shots of the Himalayan countryside, Tibetan filmmaker Tseden offers an emotional allegory about urbanization and generational conflict. On a visit to a frontier town, middle-aged Gonpo decides to sell his faithful Tibetan mastiff to a Chinese trader who specializes in procuring dogs for wealthy landowners as status symbols. Gonpo’s father, Akhu, disturbed by his son’s lack of regard for their dog, purchases the animal back, initiating the simple storyline revolving around the dog’s destiny and the ensuing familial dynamics. Rich with commentary on the evolving conflict within Tibetan culture and a way of life that is quickly giving way to outside forces, Old Dog poetically surfaces the conflicted views of a culture’s future. (88 mins.)

THE PAINTING

DIRECTOR: Jean-François Laguionie - FRANCE

Inside the magical world of a painting, figures divide themselves into three castes: the realistically rendered, highly polished Alldunns, who hold court in a castle; the Halfies, who for want of a brushstroke are denied the privileges of the Alldunns; and the Sketchies, rough and ragged outlines treated as untouchables by the others. A forbidden romance between the Halfie Claire and the Alldunn Ramo leads the two, along with Claire’s friend Lola, to run away—all the way to the edge of their painting, where they hop out of the frame and into the studio of the man who created them....

Inside the magical world of a painting, figures divide themselves into three castes: the realistically rendered, highly polished Alldunns, who hold court in a castle; the Halfies, who for want of a brushstroke are denied the privileges of the Alldunns; and the Sketchies, rough and ragged outlines treated as untouchables by the others. A forbidden romance between the Halfie Claire and the Alldunn Ramo leads the two, along with Claire’s friend Lola, to run away—all the way to the edge of their painting, where they hop out of the frame and into the studio of the man who created them. An inventive, animated fable about art and life, appearance and perception. “Enchanting! ... This consistently enjoyable, inventive, and beautifully crafted tale is a color riot suitable for all ages. ... A constant feast for the eyes.”—Variety(76 mins.)